Mongol Derby: 'Like the Tour de France crossed with Snakes and Ladders'

By Tom McGowan, CNN

Updated 1029 GMT (1829 HKT) August 23, 2013

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Photos:The Mongol Derby

The Mongol Derby – The Mongol Derby, a 1,000 kilometer scramble through the vast expanse of the Mongolian steppe.

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Photos:The Mongol Derby

The 'un route' – Each of the competitors must navigate their own way between the 40 horse stations which make up the race's course.

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Photos:The Mongol Derby

Urtuus – The horses stations, or "urtuus" to use their Mongolian name, are a place where riders can eat and rest. Competitors must also swap horses at each station in order to maintain the health of the animals. Each horse has their heart rate checked at each station, if it is too high the rider is issued with a two-hour time penalty.

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Photos:The Mongol Derby

Horse power – Lara Prior-Palmer, a 19-year-old from Hampshire in England, speeds out of one of the urtuus after swapping horses.

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Photos:The Mongol Derby

Late drama – There was heartbreak for American Devan Horn at the finish when she crossed the line first only for her horse to fail its veterinary inspection. Horn (pictured in the background) was given a two-hour penalty, handing victory to Prior-Palmer. In this picture, Prior-Palmer receives a congratulatory phone call while Horn is comforted by a race steward.

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Photos:The Mongol Derby

Toasting victory – There's no champagne for Prior-Palmer at the finish, but she is able to enjoy a hard-earned beer.

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Story highlights

Briton Lara Prior-Palmer, 19, is youngest winner of Mongol Derby

Race recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as the world's lengthiest

Race takes inspiration from the Mongol Empire's pioneering postal service

"This is no guided tour, or pony trek," says race website

Wild horses, raging winds and energy-sapping heat in the land of Genghis Khan; welcome to the Mongolian steppe.

This vast expanse of savannah and grassland is the setting for the world's longest horse race -- the Mongol Derby.

Equestrian's toughest test is perhaps the last place you'd expect to find a teenager from the English county of Hampshire.

But Lara Prior-Palmer isn't like other teenagers.

The 19-year-old is the youngest winner -- and first female victor -- in the five-year history of this most arduous of contests.

"It is the most extraordinary and bizarre race, it's like the Tour de France crossed with Snakes and Ladders," Palmer told CNN from a victory party in the Mongolian capital of Ulan Bator.

"It was really dramatic, it would be first-degree heat and the horses would be sweating, then suddenly the air would cool with wind blowing super hard.

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"The worst thing is the exhaustion, sitting on a horse may look easy but you've got to keep them cantering. Thirteen hours a day I was on a horse. At lunchtime you'd want to sleep but you can't because there's another 120 kilometers to go that day."

Prior-Palmer's determination paid off, although her joy came at the expense of another rider's despair.

American Devan Horn was the first rider to finish the race, but her horse failed a post-race medical inspection.

A two-hour penalty ensued and Prior-Palmer was named as the winner.

"It was a strange way to win and I didn't feel very good about it because the other girl was super upset," said Prior-Palmer. "It's slowly sinking in."